Bobbin magazine



' 1,621,836 March 22: w. FL T BOBBIN MAGAZINE inal Filed March 28. 1921 I WW as yiewed from left to right with reference Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

'WILLIAM FLETT, WAKEFIELD, MfiSACHUSE'JPTS, LSSIGNOR T0 LAVJBENCE DUCK corrrniva,

or nawni non, rrnssacnn'snrrs, a cear-onarron or :lltIASSACHUSETTS.

MAGAZINE.

origin l pp i at n files March 28 18 1 fis i l N been Divi d nd h arr ic en d pr 8,

This inventionrelates to bobbin magazines by which filled bobbins may be supplied in regnlar and definite order to replace spent bobbins in shuttles for weaving. The subject-matter of this application is disclosed in my copending applicntion fierial No. 456,314 filed March 28, 19721, and the present application is a division of the aforesaid copendapplication in pursuance of an official requirement in the latter.

Bobbin magazines as heretofore constructed have failed from one cause or an other to feed the bobbins in every case as they should, and one object of this invention is to provide an improved magazine such that failure will be reduced to a minimum if not entirely overcome.

Some automatic weft replenishing looms are provided with bobbin magazines from which the filled bobbins are fed from time to time as filling replenishment is required and the agitation to which the magazines are subjected by the picker motion and other parts of the loom mechanism freqnently throws one or more of the bobbins out of the to a of the magazine. Accordingly another object of this invention is to provide a construction by which the bobbins will be preyented from being thrown out. Still another object is to provide improved means for mainta ning the bobbins in parallel relation in the magazine notwithstanding agitation that tends to disarrange them.

The sereral features forming the snbiectmatter of this invention are illnstrated by the accompanying drawings and are hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 represents eleyation of a bobbin magazine embodying the present inyention in a preferred form, the upper part of the magazine being omitted merely to saye space;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the magazine in the plane indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the magazine to 1; and

Fig. 4c is a perspective View of the upper p i't he maga e fr m h h he flexi le bobbin controlling apron is detachedat one end an el at d to re terat cert n te u es of in e i r onst uetie Serial 119- 555,9 5

For the sake of facilitating reference to my former said application, of which this is a division, the reference numerals used here in will be the same as those applied to the corresponding elements in the other said application. The magazine comprises a box 101 that is substantially rectangular excepting that its bottom 109 is inclined as shown by Fig. 2. This inclined bottom may extend any desired distance beyond the upright walls of the lljia azine to form a chute down which the bobibins 104: may roll after emerging from the interior of the magazine. The magazine is supported in f art by a bar 102 and in part by bars 207. Wlienthe bobbins are placed in the magazine they are laid one upon another without regard to any special arrangement excepting that all extend parallel to each other and are arranged so that their tip ends all lie at one side while their base ends all lie at the other side as shown by Fig. 1. ihe bobbin included in Fig. 1 is shown as provided with adetachable weft-end carrier 105 whieh is maintained in coupled relation with the tip pf the bobbin by the right-hand wall of the magazin The magazine is provided with a flexible apron 215 which, in addition to excluding lint and dust, maintains the bobbins in par allel relation and prevents them from being thrown out of the top of the magazine by agitation as, for example, when the magazine is attached to loom. This apron may be made of canvas or any other suitable flexible sheet material. According to the construction shown, its front edgefis provided with a metallic reinforcing strip 216, and its rear edgeis prorided with a metallic strip 217. The strip 21.6 is proyided with holes for the reception of vertical guide rods 218. lhe strip 217 is provided with notches 219 at its ends for the reception of flanges aflixed to the interi r of the magazine. The apron is therefore free to descend as the mass of bobbins under it is reduced. Acces to the magazine for charging it with filled bobbins i aan en len lr fi dc l y li t-i s th strip 217 abbve the top of the flanges 220 and folding the apron baclr o.ver the front wall at th easaz ne Cras ers r ribs 221 of 1 o any a h r Pr t n d mate al a give it weight and to prevent the bobbins from becoming skewed and stuck in the magazine, since the width of the latter is only slightly greater than the over-all length of the bobbins and the weft-end carriers, in

. order to prevent the carriers from becoming gage the ratchet'wheel 229.

detached from the bobbins.

Two star wheels 225 are arranged to engage the lowest course of bobbins in the magazine. These star wheels are affixed to a. shaft 226 which is rotated intermittently in'a direction such as to advance the bobbins toward the chute 109. Other star wheels 227 are arranged above and clear the lowest course of bobbins and are rotated intermittently to agitate the bobbins resting on the lowest course. The wheels 227 tend to urge thebobbins of the second course in the opposite direction relatively to those of the lowest course. The wheels 227 are affixed to a shaft 228 which extends through hearings in the upright side walls of the magazine and is provided with a ratchet wheel 229 by which it is rotated intermittently. Rotation is transmitted from the shaft 228 to the shaft 226 by sprocket wheels 230 and a chain 231. An arm 232 is loosely mounted on the shaft 228 and carries ap awl 233 arranged to en- This arm is moved in one direction so as to cause the pawl 233 to click over the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and is moved in the opposite direction by a tension spring 234. I

Any preferred means may be used to operate the pawl 233, but since the operating mechanism, so far as it is shown, is designed to be operated by the weaving mechanism of a loom, it will be described briefly herein although a more complete description is given in my former said application. Referring to Fig. 3 a lug 237 afiiXed to a bar 238 is arranged to be engaged and moved from left to right byany convenient element such as a lug or other part-projecting from the laycap of a loom. The bar 238 is connected by a pivot member 239 to the lower end of the pawl carrier 232, being guided in part by the latter and in part by a plate 240 ailixed to the stationary supporting bar 102 on which the magazine is mounted The bar 238 extends through a hole in the plate 240 and rests on that portion ofthe plate that forms the bottom of the hole. The forward end of the bar is curved laterally as shown by Fig. 1 and is also curved upwardly as shown by Fig. 3 and also by Fig. 1. A tension spring 234 anchored to any convenient fixture is attached to the bar 238 and exerts its force in a direction such as to turn the ratchet 229 in the direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 3. However the bar may be moved to cause the pawl 233 to click over the teeth of this,ratchet, the efi'ective movement imparted to the ratchet is received from the sprlng 234. While the pawl is merely clicking over the teeth the shaft 228 is held against rotation by a retaining pawl 24:5 and a ratchet wheel 246.

I claim:

1. A bobbin-magazine having a bottom on which filled bobbins may roll, and having a discharge opening through which a series of bobbins may pass while resting on said bottom, means arranged to urge the bobbins toward said opening, and means arranged to clear the bobbins of the lowest course and act on one or more other bobbins so as to urge themv away from said opening.

2. A bobbin-magazine having a stationary bottom on which filled bobbins may roll, and having an opening arranged to discharge .bobbins resting on said bottom, means arprojections arranged to tumble the bobbins therein so as to promote their discharge through said opening.

4. A bobbin magazine formed to hold bobbins in massed relation and having stationary walls forming an unobstructed discharge opening through which the bobbins may gravitate, one of said walls extending outwardly beyond said opening to support the bobbins, and movable means arranged to tumble the massed bobbins into serial ar: rangement and to cooperate with said bobbin-supporting wall to restrict the discharge of bobbins to a single course or file.

5. A bobbin magazine formed to hold bobbins in massed relation and having a discharge opening and a stationary inclined wall forming the bottom of said opening, rotary means above and spaced from said wall to provide clearance fora single course of bobbins lying on said wall, and means arranged to drive said rotary means to tumble the massed bobbins into position to pass thereunder.

6. A bobbin-magazine having a discharge opening, means arranged to urge bobbins through said opening, rotary means having arranged to drive said rotary member in a direction counter to the advancement of the bobbin.

8. A bobbin-magazine having a discharge opening at the bottom and a bobbin-cover adapted to descend with the bobbins, said cover having means arranged to maintain the bobbins in parallel relation.

9. A bobbin-magazine having a discharge opening at the bottom and a flexible bobbincover adapted to descend with the bobbins, said cover having stiff ribs arranged to maintain the bobbins in parallel relation.

10'. A bobbin-magazine adapted to hold bobbins in massed relation and having a discharge opening at the bottom and means adapted to rest on the bobbins at the top of the mass so as to descend with them, said means being formed to maintain the bobbins in parallel relation.

11. A bobbin-magazine having adischarge opening arranged to discharge bobbins from the lower part of a mass, a series of bars arranged side by side and means connecting them so that they may rest on the mass of bobbins and descendtherewith, and means arranged to guide said bars so that they will maintain the bobbins in parallel relation.

12. A bobbin-magazine having a discharge opening, a flexible apron and a series of bars attached thereto in parallel relation, said bars being adapted to rest on the bobbins and maintain them in parallel relation.

13. A bobbin-magazine adapted to hold bobbins in massed relation and having a discharge opening, and means adapted to rest on the bobbins at the top of the mass and descend with them toward said opening as the bobbins are discharged therethrough, said means having relatively movable elements for maintaining the bobbins in' parallel relation.

14. A bobbin-magazine having means for discharging bobbins from the lower part of a mass, a flexible apron having a series of parallel stiff bars adapted to rest on and descend with the bobbins, and means ar ranged to guide opposite marginal portions of the apron, one of said marginal portions being detachable from the upper end of its guiding means.

15. A' bobbin-magazine having an inclined bottom and a discharge opening above and adjacent to the bottom, a rotary member arranged adjacent to said opening and above the bottom so that a single course of bobbins may roll under it, and means arranged to drive said member in a direction counter to the direction in which the bobbins are dis charged.

16. A bobbin-magazine having a bottom and a discharge opening above and adjacent to the bottom, star-wheels journaled respectively below and above the bottom so as to act respectively on the first and second courses of bobbins in the magazine, and means arranged to drive said star-wheels in the same direction of rotation.

17. A b0bbinmagazine having a discharge opening, bobbin-engaging means arranged to feed the bobbins toward said opening, a spring arranged to operate said means, and means for preliminarily stressing said spring to prepare it for functioning as aforesaid.

18. A bobbin-magazine having a bottom and a discharge opening above and adjacent to the bottom, bobbin-engaging means arranged to act on the lowest course of bobbins in the magazine to feed them through said opening, bobbin-engaging means arranged to act on bobbins above said lowest course to promote their approach to the discharge opening, and means for operating both of said bobbin-engaging means intermittently and in unison.

19. A bobbinanagazine having a discharge opening, rotary bobbin-engaging means arranged to feed the bobbins through said opening, and mechanism or turning said means intermittently in one direction and including a spring for imparting the rotary movement by which the bobbins are fed as aforesaid.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature this 27th day o'f'October 1921.

WILLIAM FLETT. 

